In order to strengthen the muscles all around your foot and ankle joint, you’ve got to do a variety of different types of movements in a variety of directions. There are slow strength exercises like calf raises, and ballistic ones like unilateral and bilateral hops, as well as isometric ones to help control your strength at different end ranges of motion. There’s no ONE right way to train below the knee, rather a myriad of tools to help you build a solid, durable joint. Here’s another combo to add to your toolbox that you can do anywhere: [Read more…]

Sure, we’d all love to be running effortlessly on a beach, a scenic mountain path, or through a quaint, quiet neighborhood, but sometimes all we have is the treadmill at the gym. Running indoors isn’t usually our first choice, but if it’s all you’ve got, take comfort in some of these advantages: [Read more…]

Tango and I take a 45 minute walk every day (unless the temperature is -25, then we take a 2 minute walk) and I listen to any number of podcasts. Podcasts have literally taken over from music in my life the past year and a half. I listen to them while walking, running, driving, and now during my workouts. There’s so much GOOD content out there and it’s way better than listening to any radio station. I pick up new ones all the time. Here are my latest faves I want y’all to know about: [Read more…]

The weather forecast in Colorado keeps showing cold and rain and so we decided to take a little more time to get there. I had to teach a couple TRX courses in Missouri last weekend and returned to San Diego on Monday. Tango and I wanted just one more day at the San Elijo campground to enjoy the amazing ocean sunsets and then we’d be hitting the road again!

First Stop: Joshua Tree National Park

From my first trip with Jenn and Jason in 2006, I’ve been in LOVE with this place. The entire park and surrounding areas look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book and it just has this funky energy around it. I’ve always come here to go climbing and bouldering, but with no room for a crash pad and Tango not quite knowing how to belay/spot me, this was a camping only trip. I scoured the campground for potential climbing buddies, but it was mostly couples and families. Being the third wheel was likely out of the question and the families weren’t climbing so Tango and I took a nice evening run to watch the sunset and catch some great photos in the amazing light.

We are certainly not making any speed records with the amount of drag created by my rocketbox and mountain bike on the top of my car. Aerodynamic we are not…

Second Stop: Lake Mead, Nevada

My man-friend recommended the Railroad Tunnel Trail to me earlier in the day so we decided to cruise there first for an out-of-the-ordinary trail run. We were stoked about it. You get to run the old train tunnels that were originally built back in the 30s for the sole purpose of delivering supplies to the Hoover Dam construction. The tracks have all been removed and you can run or hike through them all. When Fraser was first telling me about the tunnels I was imagining long, dark, creepy, abandoned tunnels that murderers would be hanging out in, ready to get us. He assured me they were not that scary so I trusted him and off we went. There are several of them, all pretty short, so no need to worry. You do, however, hear the squeaking of a few bats hanging above… this turned our trail run into tunnel sprints. ; )

The temp had reached 87 degrees by the time we got there but the breeze was amazing.

All finished!

Next up: Utah!!

We are thinking of heading to eastern/southern Utah next. Moab? Canyonlands? Bryce Canyon? There are so many amazing places to see in Utah. We’re not sure where we’ll head to next, but no doubt it will be amazing. Hoping to be in Denver by Sunday so see you whenever I get wifi again! You can keep up with us on Instagram by clicking here or searching the incredibly long hashtag, AmiandTangoRoadtrip2015. ; )

I think a lot people assume that fitness people like all kinds of workouts, but running is not always my jam. I don’t like to run for more than a few miles anyway, (I’d rather be doing a million other types of workouts… or errands) but I know my body benefits from it, so I do it a couple times per week.

Running during the winter months is challenging for me though because I strongly dislike running outside when it’s cold. I’ve tried to like it. I’ve done it a few times. I just don’t enjoy it. All I’m thinking about is getting it over with and I usually stop well before I need to… [Read more…]